The present invention relates generally to tube containers. The invention relates specifically to a tube container with an integral panel for carrying a label.
In the printing arts, and in particular in the commercial printed label art for labeling and decorating consumer products, there exists a continual demand for labels and decorations which not only appeal to consumers, but also bear ever increasing amounts of printed information. For example, labels for identification of consumer health care and pharmaceutical products are often required by governmental regulations to describe in painstaking detail their compositions and ingredients. As new food and drug laws are passed, regulations require the inclusion of increasing amounts of label information. Manufacturers of consumer products and their packaging vendors have devised various techniques for inclusion of such extensive information. Among these are simply printing the information in small type on a product container box or carton, or including an information insert sheet within the box or carton. Obvious drawbacks to these techniques include increased packaging costs and post-consumer packaging waste associated with a box or carton, and the fact that boxes, cartons, and insert sheets often go unnoticed and are promptly discarded by a consumer. This is particularly problematic relative to elderly consumers, or for those consumers for whom English (or the language of the manufacturer) is a second language.
In general in the labeling and packaging arts, various forms of xe2x80x9cexpanded contentxe2x80x9d labels have been proposed to provide increased printed information. As used herein, xe2x80x9cexpanded contentxe2x80x9d labels (or xe2x80x9cECLsxe2x80x9d) include xe2x80x9cextended textxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cexpanded copyxe2x80x9d labels, along with so-called xe2x80x9cbookletxe2x80x9d labels and the like. In their simplest forms, these labels have a base ply joined to a top ply via an adhesive coupling or xe2x80x9chingexe2x80x9d between the two plies. An example of such a label is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,264,265 issued to Kaufmann, entitled xe2x80x9cPEEL-BACK RE-SEALABLE MULTI-PLY LABELxe2x80x9d. These labels also typically include a xe2x80x9crelease/reseal systemxe2x80x9d opposite the hinge, which allows the plies to be repeatedly opened or unsealed and resealed in booklet fashion.
Attempts have been made to provide expanded content labels for particular containers and unique uses associated therewith. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,967,560 issued to Seidl entitled xe2x80x9cHANGING LABELxe2x80x9d, a label includes an integral suspension strap for suspending a bottle (e.g., an intravenous infusion bottle) to which the label is attached.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,129,959 issued to Mercer, et al., entitled xe2x80x9cSLEEVE LABEL WITH INTEGRAL FLAP AND/OR HEADERxe2x80x9d, a tubular sleeve of polymeric film is adapted for use as a sleeve label on a consumer product such as a plastic bottle or jug. The sleeve label may provide a tear-off coupon.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,162,158 also issued to Mercer, et al., entitled xe2x80x9cMETHOD OF FABRICATING A SLEEVE LABEL WITH MULTILAYERED INTEGRAL FLAPSxe2x80x9d, a sleeve label is fabricated from a sheet of multi-folded polymeric material. Additional folding results in a multi-page booklet type label for a bottle or jug.
However, no provision has heretofore been made for simply and inexpensively labeling a tube container with an expanded content label. As used herein, xe2x80x9ctube containerxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cproduct tubexe2x80x9d is intended to include all flexible tube-like product containers and pouches that may not be easily characterized by a set of standard rectangular or cylindrical profiles. Flexible tube containers typically do not have a uniform circumference, and are subject to deformation in use by squeezing to force product out therefrom. Thus, the disclosed labels cannot be satisfactorily utilized with such tubes, due to their exposure to such deformation and other attendant problems.
Therefore, there exists a need for a tube container with an integral panel for carrying a label, that may be simply and inexpensively produced.
An object of the present invention is to provide a tube container with an integral panel for carrying a label that is inexpensive and simple to produce.
In accordance with the present invention, a tube container with an integral panel for carrying a label includes a tube container having a product dispensing end, an intermediate sealing portion, and a filling end opposite the product dispensing end. The sealing portion is capable of being sealed subsequent to filling the tube container with a selected product. A label panel is provided in proximity to the sealing portion, with the label panel being integrally formed from material forming the tube container between the sealing portion and the filling end. An expanded content label is then secured to the label panel.